Public safety personnel are routinely equipped with mobile or portable radio communications equipment, henceforth ‘mobile communication devices’. These devices are linked to other mobile communication devices by a public safety communications network. When public safety personnel working as ‘first responders’ are called to an incident, they may receive information from various sources. One source is a dispatch controller forming part of the public safety communications network. Another source will be other members of a communication group, often referred to by public safety personnel as a ‘talk group’, of which the first responder is a member.
At an incident, there may be public safety equipment such as cameras mounted on a public safety vehicle that has been called to the location of the incident. A first responder may be able to receive information, such as pictures, which are sent from the cameras to the first responder's mobile communication device. The first responder may receive the information via the dispatch controller of the public safety communications network.
At an incident, there may also be other equipment that does not form part of the public safety communications network, such as cameras or other sensors, which can provide data-capture information from the incident. This equipment may include pre-installed security cameras, microphones and various other types of sensors, which may be part of a private data-capture system. This equipment may also include other cameras, microphones and other type of sensors that are in proximity of the incident, for example computers and smart phones. Although equipment with sensing capabilities such as smartphones may provide data-capture information at an incident, this may not have been the original purpose of the smartphone. In practice, a smartphone that is at the scene of an incident ‘by chance’ may temporarily have the potential to provide valuable information. Such equipment may form part of a variety of private communications networks, including networks owned by companies, banks, schools or private individuals. With known systems, there are frequently situations where information from such non-public safety equipment is not available to a first responder. There may also be no way for the first responder to know of the existence or position of equipment that does not form part of the public safety communications network. This may be the case, for example, when it is dark, when fire or smoke obstructs the view, or when there is a barricaded incident such as in a hostage situation. Henceforth, any equipment that can provide data-capture at an incident, but which is not part of the public safety communications network, will be referred to as a ‘data-capture device’. Typically, such data-capture devices are in a different, private domain than a wireless communication device of a public safety first responder at an incident.
There is a need to improve the information available to public safety wireless communications devices during an incident. This need applies both during the time before a first responder reaches an incident, and during attendance ‘on-scene’ at the incident. In general, there is a need for a public safety first responder to be able to access incident-related media or information from a variety of public and/or private devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for receiving a data stream during an incident.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.